WAUSAU - Residents gunning for a new movie theater in downtown Wausau will get their wish.

City Council voted 8 to 3 Tuesday night to approve Micon Cinemas' plan to demolish the former Sears building and construct a 10-theater cinema.

A movie theater will change the face and clientele of the Wausau Center mall, which has struggled since the departure of JCPenney in 2014. Many city leaders and downtown businesses hope a cinema will bring new customers to the heart of Wausau.

Some City Council members said a large majority of their residents support the movie theater.

"We need a shot in the arm to bring energy to that area," said City Council President Lisa Rasmussen. "We’re looking to create a sense of place, to create a destination."

The city will transfer the old Sears property to Micon and provide a $1 million forgivable loan to help Micon cover the project costs. Late last year Wausau purchased the building for $650,000. The downtown Sears opened in the early 1980s and closed in 2016.

Three community members commented at Tuesday's meeting, one in support of Micon. Another suggested the city accept a more conservative proposal by HOM Furniture, which offered to renovate the Sears building. Council members Romey Wagner, Dennis Smith and Becky McElhaney voted against Micon's plan.

"My district is proportionally against this," McElhaney said about a survey of her constituents on the Sears proposals. "They’re very angry. They don’t think that we’re watching our money."

The city's $1 million forgivable loan is tied to conditions Micon will have to meet, such as adding new jobs and reaching a minimum property value. The developer will invest $10 million into the new building. It must be worth at least $6 million when complete, adding at least $2 million to city tax rolls compared with $3.9 million, the fair market value of the Sears building last year, according to county records.

Demolition may begin this spring and new construction this summer. Micon is working with Hoeft Builders and local subcontractors.

The movie theater may open spring 2018, 10 months after construction begins.